1. Field of Invention
A method and product for the establishment and continued use of a secure online communication network between known and intentional acquaintances utilizing unique individual encoded exchanged objects, purchased by a purchaser and given to individuals known by the consumer, comprising a key object used to establish a closed network by the purchaser or host, and a plurality of exchanged token objects given to members or friends to whom an offer to join the closed network is extended, each exchanged token object containing a unique code required to log into the closed network, wherein communication may be held between the host and their friends without intrusion by persons outside the closed network.
2. Description of Prior Art
The following United States patents are identified and disclosed herein. Several devices are disclosed relating to Internet communication systems and exchanged trinkets.
A product on the market named WEBKINZ® charms distributes and sells collectible charms. The charms bear a unique feature code that allows registration on line to allow the bearer to travel deeper into a magical Charm Forest, as well as to receive a virtual version of the charm online. The user must have previously purchased a WEBKINZ® pet and be pre-registered to register the charms online. Children are encouraged to purchase as many charms as possible. These charms may also be purchased online as well as at a retail outlet. See, U.S. Pat. No. 7,442,108 and 7,425,169 to Ganz.
Disney® has a product introduced at the 2008 Toy Fair known as Clickables. Some time ago, Disney launched a website, DisneyFairies.com, that allowed children, primarily young girls, to create “fairy aviators” and interact with an online world. The new technology that meets with this system features a magic jewelry box connecting to a computer through a USB port, which should have charm bracelets and charms. If you touch a charm to a friend's charm and push a “friend” button, each “avatar” becomes a friend in the online world and can communicate as friends the next time the bracelet is placed in the avatars' jewelry box at home. Charm bracelets can be purchased with or without the friend buttons. No literature or documentation is available for disclosure or reference, but this product is known in the art.
A system and method for toy adoption marketing encouraging the computer user to adopt an online pet in a virtual world is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Application Nos. 2008/0009350, 2008/0009351, 2008/0026666, 2008/0040230 and 2008/0040297 to Ganz. (WEBKINZ® above). A gaming system with authentication tokens, disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0009345 to Bailey, requires a participant to have a one time authentication token used to obtain permission to perform a certain action within the gaming sequence.
In U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0197297 to Witchey, a system, apparatus and methods detail a system utilizing a trading card with value in a viral world ascribes purchasing power or attributes having offensive, defensive, opportunity or set values as internal gaming values, similar to currency. Control objects in the form of secured bracelets, wrist watches and collars are used as communication objects to verify the eligibility of a player attempting to participate in gaming events, as disclosed in WIPO Application No. WO/2006/014722 to Benbrahim, wherein removal of the control object breaks an electrical circuit completed by the control object, the removal resulting in the elimination of the person wearing the control object from further participation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,252 to Young, a method and apparatus for authenticating, archiving information and updating ownership of unique items using a unique identification code with an item locks ownership history with a PIN number of the owner and cannot be changed until the owner releases the PIN, after which a new owner associates the item with the new owners PIN. A similar method of authenticating ownership of an object is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0005557 to Chester.
Individually or in combination, the above prior art patents do not disclose the same method of establishing and maintaining a secure network communication in the same manner as the present disclosed method, nor do they use the same product components as disclosed within the present method to accomplish the method.